Motor vehicle cabinet



T. M. ZIMMERMAN MOTOR VEHICLE CABINET Filed Dec. 27, 1950 May 31, 1932.

Y lNvENToR Patented May 31, 1932 UNITED STATES THOMAS 1VI. ZIMMERIVIAN,0F DAWSON, PENNSYLVANIA Moron VEHICLE CABINET Application filed December27, 1930.4 Serial No.` 505,095.

The ob] ect which I have in view is the provision of means convenienttothe operator of a motor vehicle whereby he may have within convenientaccess those articles and things 5 of which he has need, such as maps,small tools, repair parts, tobacco in various forms and the like. V

My improved cabinet is designed to be mounted on the steering post ofthe motor .10. vehicle where it will be convenient to the users hand andwhere it will be out of the way and will not obstruct the operatorsvision.

Insomuch asv the angle of the steering post i .15 varies greatly indifferent makes and in different types of motor vehicles, I provide newand improved means for adjustably supporting my cabinet so that it mayalways be hori- Zontally disposed. Y

In connection with my cabinet I provide a new and improved type ofreceiver for ashes and cigarette and cigar butts and the like.

Other novel features of construction and also of arrangement of partswill appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated a practicalembodiment of the principles of my invention, Fig. l is a side elevationof the cabinet, the steering post being indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the cabinet looking from the operatorsseat, the steering post being shown in section.

35. 3 is an enlarged detail view of one of the split collars shownclamped on the steering post and the attachment of the supportin gbrackets thereto.

Fig. 4 is a broken vertical section on en- 4D larged scale of the ashreceiver and its mounting.

Referring to the drawings, l represents the steering ,post of a motorvehicle and 2 and 3 represent a pair of split collars which are clampedabout the steering post in proper spaced relation to each other.V Thecollar parts are of rectangular block form as best shown in Fig. 3. andare provided with mating flanges 4 which are pierced with alined boltholes and 5 represent bolts which are inserted through the alined boltholes and upon which thenuts 6 are screwed up to clamp the collarsrigidly in place on the post. e

The collar parts are provided at opposite points with the laterallyextending studs 7, the inner portions of which are of enlarged diameterto form the cylindrical bosses 8, and the outer portions of which arereduced and threaded to receive the nuts 9. Thus an annular shoulder isfor-med between the in- 6U ner and outer portions of the studs. Thecollar parts may be provided with internal spurs or teeth as shown at 2afor better gripping` the steering post.

10 represents a fiat platform which is in- 65 tended to be horizontallydisposed and from the underside of which depend th-e Vparallel f Ysupporting brackets 11 which are substantially perpendicular to theplatform and which are spaced apart so as to straddle the split 7Ucollars as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. To better support the platformand to render the structure rigid I provide the curved metal braces 12and 13 in the angles between the brackets and the platform. The bottomedges of the brackets are inclined substantially as shown in Fig. l.

Adjacent to their front and rear vertical edges the brackets 1l areprovided with apertures 14E extending up from their bottom Si) edges andvertically elongated. Said apertures are of the width so that thebrackets 11 may straddle the bosses of the studs 7. lVhen the nuts 9 arescrewed up on the studs against the brackets the brackets and platformare rigidly but detachably clamped to the steering post.

By loosening the nuts 9 the platform may be raised or lowered relativeto the steering post and Valso may be properly leveled regardless of theangle of the steering post. Ihen the nuts are again tightened theplatform is rigidly held in position.

The platform 10 is set back slightly at its front and rear edges. Thecabinet l5 which 9 may be of wood or other suitable material is providedwith front and rear walls which eX- tend down'v past the platform andrest on the. upper ends of the brackets, and screws 16 may be used toattach the cabinet to the edges 1W of the platform. However the cabinetmay be otherwise attached to the platform in any convenient manner.

`The platform and the brackets may be formed of plate metal or metalcast integrally.

The lower portion of the cabinet is open at one side, preferably attheright hand side of the operator to form a shelf 117, the floor of whichmay be the platform 1 0. This shelf may be used to store maps, circularfolders and other like articles.v 'above the shelf 17 is the slidingdrawer 18, the drawer being open in the same direction as the shelf.rlhis drawer 18 may be used for containing articles for use inconnection with the vehicle or in an emergency., Y such as pliers, smallwrenches, screw drivers, extra spark plugs and light bulbs, first aidpackets, &c.

Above the position of the drawer i8 .the top of the .cabinet is formedas an open tray whichmay have low woven wire sides 19. This tray may beused for carrying articles and is provided with a pair of wire bails 20pivoted at their ends to the low stands 2l mounted on the side walls ofthe tray, which hails may be turned down over articles placed on thetray to hold. them in place.

At .oneside `of the front vof the cabinet 15 i the wall is provided withthe sheet metal flanges `22 to hold the vehicle license card.

28 represents a box which .occupies the middle portion of the front ofthe cabinet and which may be integral with or attached to the front wallof the cabinet. The top of the box 2.3 is preferably lower than that ofthe tray 19. The box may be used to hold pipes, cigars, cigarettes.tobacco and other articles or materials for the convenience and comfortofthe operator. The box is provided with a lid 24 which may be hinged asshown or may be slidably mounted `on the box. The exposed end wall ofthe box 23 is provided with a verticall)7 extended opening 24a so thatthe stems of pipes too long lor the box may protrude therethrough.

At the opposite end of the box from the license card holder is an opentop compartment 25, and 26 is a vertically disposed tubular metal holdermounted in said compart-` ment and having its lower .end extending downthrough the floor of the compartment.

27 represents an ash and butt cup which is contained in said holder,being slipped upwardly into place through the bottom of the holder, thecup being provided with a pair of depending spring-metal fingers 28having angular humps 29 so that by cornpressing the fingers 28 togetherthe cup may be slid up into the holder and the lingers arel then allowedto expand so that the humps 29 `on said fingers spring into seats 30 cutor formed in the wall of the holder. By compressing the lingers togetherthe cup may be released from the holder and may be emptied and may thenlie replaced. The upper interior of the tubular holder is provided withvertically staggered deflector plates 3l which prevent the flying upwardof the contents of the cup.

The brackets 11 are positioned toward the right hand end of the platform10 so that the cabinet .does not in any way obstruct the operatorsvision of the instrument board andthe cabinet and platform are set highenough so as not to interfere with the operators access to the.operating levers and pedals.

32 represents a piercedA bracket extending from the left end of theplatform 10 so that a bracing strut `may be attached and extend to aportion of the vehicle to further steady the cabinet if necessary.

It is obvious that my improved cabinet forms a very ,convenient anddesirable accessory `for motor vehicles. The operator has convenientlyat hand the articles and supplies that he is most likely to need ordesire and can thus supply his wants without stopping the travel of thevehicle or leaving his seat.

rlhe cabinet may be mounted at desired elevation and may be adjusted ina properly level relation on a steering post set at any angle to thevertical. j

The device is small and comp-act, in nowise interfering with `theoperation of the vehiclefnor with the operators view. Itis inexpensiveto `make and therefore may be sold at a reasonable tial and durable.

l/Vhat I claim is r- 1. A cabinet adapted to be mounted on the steeringpost of a motor vehicle and comprisinga lidded box, `a tubular holdervertically disposed with said box and opening through the bottom of thebox, a receiving cup arranged to be upwardly inserted in said holder,and spring lingers attached to said cup and arranged to .resilientlyhold said cup in said holder.

2. A cabinet adapted to be mounted on the steering post of a motorvehicle and comprising a box, a tubular holder vertically disposed withsaid box and opening through the bottom of the box, a receiving cuparranged to be upwardly inserted in said holder, and spring-means forholding the cup in place.

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa., this 26th day of December, 1930.

.THOMAS M. ZIMMERMAN.

price, and it is substan-

